Weapon of Mass Destruction
by Rainne
Summary: Numbuh 4 brings a real gun to the treehouse. Pretty serious, definitely not a humor fic. Implied 15 and 34. Reviews welcome, flames as long as they're polite.
1. Act 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing, Cartoon Network does.  
  
Stuff in these are thoughts, italics don't upload well.  
  
A/N: The only real reason I'm writing this, besides that I think it's a cool idea, is I'm suffering from writer's reluctance. What the hell's writer's reluctance, you say? Well, I'm avoiding continuing the fic I should be continuing in favor of writing this, that's basically it. I probably shouldn't be writing at all since I'm kinda in a bad mood, though that's probably the perfect mood for writing this fic. So, all bad moods and psychological troubles aside, here goes nothin', as they say, my first Kids Next Door fanfic. Enjoy!  
  
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Numbuh 1 sat alone at the foot of the spiral staircase that began the labyrinth of corridors and rooms that made up the treehouse. He fiddled with his shoelaces for a moment, and then scanned the empty common area slowly from behind his ever-present dark sunglasses. He wasn't bored, not exactly.... more like expectant, maybe anxious. He had a strange feeling in his stomach that was bothering him. His brain was trying to tell him something he couldn't quite make out, but it felt like something was coming and all he could do was wait for it to arrive. Being the born leader he was Numbuh 1 didn't like this strange, powerless feeling that had come over him at all.  
  
He and his team were in a lull between storms. There had been very few attacks on their fortress in past weeks by their numerous enemies, and even those had been easily quelled. Numbuh 1 should have been pleased with this, but he couldn't rid himself of the anxious feeling that continued to gnaw at his stomach. It was growing worse by the hour, and it had put a halt to any planning he might've been doing and led him to wait on the last step of the spiral staircase alone.  
  
The treehouse was quiet, not too quiet though, he could hear his fellow Kid's Next Door, but the sounds their actions made seemed unreal as if they came from a TV left on somewhere. All in all they only increased Numbuh 1's feeling of isolation and expectation. His adrenaline levels spiked at the sudden opening of one of the treehouse's many entries.  
  
"Numbuh 4?" Numbuh 1 said, willing his voice not to shake as he breathed deep, attempting to calm himself.  
  
The blonde boy walked into the room with only a slight glance at his teammate and a quiet, "Yeh, 's me."  
  
Numbuh 1 watched 4 walk across the common area and sit down heavily at a table, his head bowed. He noticed an odd weight to all the boy's movements and stood up from his seat at the stairs with an eyebrow raised. He joined Numbuh 4 at the table without a word. The other boy didn't speak either, but Numbuh 1 was confident his silence wouldn't last long. Remember that bit about him being a born leader?  
  
Numbuh 4 seemed to rock slightly in his seat and Numbuh 1 could just make out a furrowed brow beneath the boy's long bangs. He continued to wait. Eventually, after more self-contained battle, Numbuh 4 slowly reached out his left arm and set what he'd been holding tucked in the folds of his orange sweatshirt on the table.  
  
Numbuh 1 suppressed the urge to either gasp or gag as the feeling inside his stomach suddenly rose into his throat. So this is it, he thought, this is what I was waiting for. "Where did you get this, Numbuh 4?" he asked, letting his hidden eyes travel along the smooth, black metal of the gun.  
  
"'S my dad's," he responded. His own eyes were mirroring his teammate's activities, "Ah've been thinkin' about," he paused, unsure of his next words, "bringin' it 'ere for some time," he finished quickly, "It's a real gun, Numbuh 1. Not a teddy-bear rifle, not even a blaster- a real gun." Numbuh 1 detected the vein of excitement that ran beneath 4's words. He wasn't surprised. If he had known this was what he had been waiting for he would've expected the Aussie's actions to be very different. The polar opposite of the boy's sullen quiet, in fact. Perhaps he realized the importance of the metal object lying on the table after all? Numbuh 1 could only hope.  
  
He turned to watch Numbuh 4, who was still staring at the gun. He observed the excitement drain from 4's features without comment, until all that was left was a cold fear that made him seem even more the little boy than he was. That was when 1 chose to speak, "You do know what this means though." 4 nodded, "We'll have to discuss it with the others." The pair stood and walked into the bowels of the treehouse, leaving the cool weapon on the table.  
  
:::  
  
All five Kid's Next Door sat in silence on couches around the table in the center of the common area, each lost in his or her thoughts about the deadly, black object that had been carried over by Numbuh 4. Numbuh 1 had felt a strange reluctance to even touch its cold surface.  
  
"Numbuh 5 dun like dis one bit." The dark girl peered out from under her red cap at the gun. Her eyes were dark with mistrust and hatred of the gun and she looked as long as she could at the weapon, but turned away after only a few seconds. She had absolutely no affinity for weapons she or Numbuh 2 had not made themselves, and the sight of the gun's slick metal made her feel sick. Painful memories filled her mind that she'd never shared with anyone outsider her family, and hopefully never would.  
  
"Me neither," Numbuh 2 contributed after another short silence, though he didn't turn away from it. Unlike 5, 2 had a healthy respect for any type of machinery, crafted by his hand or not. And the gun commanded a lot of respect from him. Unbeknownst to the others he was fighting every urge not to take the weapon into his hands and examine it closely, figure out its puzzles, and make his own. He couldn't help it; the need to study and create was engrained in his nature.  
  
Numbuh 3 hugged a pillow from the couch tightly in her lap and warily regarded the gun from above the pillow's fringe without comment. She didn't quite understand the gun's full meaning, or potential, but she did know it made her friends very nervous. And that made her nervous as well, and slightly angry at the black object for doing this to the ones she cared the most about.  
  
"But, guys," Numbuh 4 protested, "think 'bout it for a second! Do ya' know what this could mean for the Kid's Next Door? We'd be unstoppable! None uh' our enemies could stand up ta' this. We could end all kid torment foreva'! One shot- BAM- 'n that'd be it!"  
  
Numbuh 1 had stayed silent since calling the team to attention and announcing the situation. He was almost inclined to agree with Numbuh 4, if it hadn't been for one thing. He had watched the boy carefully as he'd talked. He'd heard 4's speeches before and compiled with the close relationship the boys already shared he knew the Aussie very well, and he could hear the fear behind his words, see the uncertainty in his blatant hand gestures and movements. He didn't like what he saw; he didn't like seeing Numbuh 4 this flustered about anything. He scanned the rest of the team and saw mirror images of 4's fear and uncertainty in each one of them, even Numbuh 3.  
  
It was time to speak, "Numbuh 4 makes a point," he said and continued before Numbuh 5 could protest, "This," even he had a hard time saying it, "gun can be a very powerful use for good. However, I just don't trust it, and I can see none of you do either." He glanced at the window and noticed it had grown dark outside, "I suggest we sleep on the matter and reconvene for a final decision. Kid's Next Door, time for bed." All five courageous children stood and left the common area. The lights flickered off, plunging the room with the black, metal object lying on the table into darkness.  
  
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A/N: Now, I have no idea whether or not Numbuh 4's dad would really have a gun, and (unless I've missed more episodes than I thought) you don't either, so there. I figured if any of the Kid's Next Door would do such a thing as bring in a gun, it'd be Numbuh 4. Don't say he wouldn't, either! Plus, due to the fact that I haven't seen many episodes, I'm taking creative license on their weapons' names. This'll be a short fic, probably three chapters more at the most. Reviews welcome, good or bad (so long as they're polite), see ya' next chapter. 


	2. Act 2

A/N: I've decided this fic will be sorta like a play, i.e: there will only be three chapters/three acts. You see what I mean. Anyway, this is Act 2, where not much happens except a lot of introspection; maybe a little segue into Act 3 (a.k.a. the climax). Enjoy!  
  
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Numbuh 2 woke up in his half-a-failed-fighter plane bed before the others the next morning. Slipping his worn leather pilot's helmet over his eyes he quickly and quietly made his way into the common area. There he paused for a moment before reaching his destination and listened for any sign of his comrades. He heard nothing, as he'd expected, and walked satisfied toward the couch-surrounded table in the center of the space.  
  
In the dim, gray morning-light the object of his surreptitious journey seemed even colder than it had the previous night. Numbuh 2 stayed beyond the couches, locked in position from fear and awe of the gun. He felt like a star-struck fan meeting their idol for the first time, he wasn't sure what to do. Eventually he did climb over the couches and stood still again, only this time within reaching distance of the gun. Slowly, with a shaky hand, he ran his fingers along its barrel. The smooth blackness was as cold as it looked and he felt a shiver run from his hand up his arm and through his entire body. He jerked his hand back as if the gun had burned him. Quit bein' such a baby, he berated himself, This is what you came for, isn't it? He snapped his hand out again and before he could rethink his mission once more he was holding the weapon.  
  
It was just as heavy and cold as it looked, and Numbuh 2 couldn't ignore the clenching feeling in his stomach, as if Death itself had a hold on his insides. Okay, he silently tried to calm himself, do what you came to do, and get the heck outta here. The clenching was worse than any kind of hunger Numbuh 2 had experienced before and no matter if it was babyish or not, he desperately wanted to be rid of the gun as soon as possible. But first he had a mission to complete. He lifted the gun with both hands so he could peer into the barrel. Upon Numbuh 1's command for bed, 2 had immediately lit off to his lab-of-sorts and began rummaging through old technical manuals and textbooks he kept around for ideas and advice, on a feverish search for information on guns. He wasn't disappointed, and soon had an understanding of the object on the table his teammates couldn't hope for. A technical understanding, clinical and detached. It was just a machine right? A gadget, Numbuh 2 was good with gadgets. In fact, as far as being a member of the Kid's Next Door, gadgets were his life. He couldn't resist the opportunity to examine a REAL gun.  
  
He spun open the cylinder and counted the bullets inside, six. He took one of the small metal pieces out and examined that as well, just for curiosity more than anything else. He closed the cylinder and eyed the trigger and other pieces, careful not to do anything stupid. The clenching in his stomach had changed into predictable hunger, which made itself known with a growl. Numbuh 2, feeling his mission complete, placed the gun back on the table and left for the kitchen to begin making breakfast for himself and his friends.  
  
:::  
  
"New orders from IHQ," Numbuh 1 announced as he sat down at the table for breakfast. He held a sheet of paper with their assignment.  
  
Numbuh 5's ears pricked in curiosity and she leaned closer to 1 to get a look at the orders. He placed the paper on the table amidst various boxes of sugary cereals and plates of eggs and French toast a' la Numbuh 2 so each Kid Next Door could read it, "Yuck!" 5 exclaimed as she finished scanning the paper, "Broccoli cereal, huh? Numbuh 5 thinks dat's a new low fo' adults." She sat back in her chair with her arms crossed in disgust.  
  
"As long as we complete our mission it will never become a reality, Numbuh 5," 1 said reassuringly.  
  
"Betta' not," Numbuh 4 agreed between shovels of eggs. 3 simply wrinkled her face over her bowl of Rainbow Monkey marshmallow cereal to express her feelings of revulsion.  
  
"It don't sound too horrible to me," Numbuh 2 said as he sat down juggling his plates of eggs, toast, and two bowls of cereal. His teammates stared at the plump boy for a beat. He colored slightly and chuckled, glancing at the personal spread before him, "Oh yeah."  
  
"Numbuh 2's indiscriminate palate or not," 1 said after another beat, "They must be stopped." He smacked his hand with his fist for emphasis, "The report states that this vile scheme is the concoction of the woman who attempted to incarcerate us in a children's zoo." The team shuddered at the memory, "As you remember, she nearly had us that time. We actually only managed our escape by cooperation with the Delightful Children From Down the Lane," another shudder, "Any ideas?"  
  
The Kid's Next Door were silent as they thought. They glanced at one another when they thought none were glancing at them. No one wanted to be the first to suggest what had, with the possible exception of 3, immediately sprung to the front of their minds as a plan to deal with this cunning foe. No one wanted the others to know what had formerly been in the back of their minds since last evening. Or how it hadn't budged no matter how hard they squeezed their eyes shut or how long they'd researched or how loud they'd played music to drown out their thoughts. No one wanted the others to see how little sleep they'd gotten.  
  
"Numbuh 5 guesses da' usual, storm da' compound 'n put a stop to their evil scheme or whatnot would do da' trick." the girl propped slipper- shoed feet on the table, "Just gotta be extra cautious 'round dat nasty lady, make sure she dun put us in no more cages 'n Numbuh 5 gotta rescue yall again like last time."  
  
Numbuh 1 cracked a smile, "Sounds about right, unless there are any other ideas?" He got no response, and was just fine with that.  
  
Having finished breakfast, the Kids separated to work on their own tasks within their enormous HQ. 2 left for his workshop and 3 went with to assist him. 5 went to work out the details of the plan, since she'd come up with it, and 1 joined her. Numbuh 4 went to his room to work out and read comics. It wasn't until afternoon that the gun's peace was disturbed again.  
  
:::  
  
Numbuh 1 and 5 had quickly hammered out the destruction of the broccoli cereal factory, having plenty of experience to draw upon. Boredom had soon set in, and it led the pair to wander the treehouse aimlessly, led by their own subconscious thoughts. Because of this, it was a complete surprise when they found themselves before the ring of couches with the small table in the center and the black weapon warming in the late afternoon sun. With a glance at 5, as if almost asking permission, Numbuh 1 jumped over the couches and stood almost exactly where 2 had stood that morning. Swallowing the tightness in her throat, Numbuh 5 joined him.  
  
They stayed silent, 1 looking at the gun and 5 out the window. Being this near to the thing gave her a headache, but she didn't want to look weak in front of Numbuh 1, so she turned away from the comforting glow of the sun and to the harsh dark of the gun. Taking a deep breath, she picked it up without hesitation and aimed it at the 5 painted on her door. Looking down the barrel of the gun she felt herself stiffen and her breathing go ragged. The memories had returned in a flood. She saw it all again; the gun flashing as it was whipped from the man's jacket pocket, the look of terror on the convenience store clerk's face, and her uncle's blood staining the linoleum floor. Suddenly a lump developed in her throat and she was holding back tears.  
  
She jumped slightly when Numbuh 1 reached out and gently pushed her rigid arms down until they went slack and she let the gun drop to the table. Numbuh 5 took another breath, this one shuddering, and dropped her head, all the while trying to rid herself of the memories she tried so hard to bury. She wasn't sure what she was ashamed of, all she knew was she didn't want to look Numbuh 1 in the eye after what she had done. She closed her eyes as 1 spoke, "I don't like it anymore than you do, Numbuh 5." He placed a comforting hand on her trembling shoulder, "You don't have to prove anything to me."  
  
She nodded, a series of jerking motions, before finally looking up at Numbuh 1. He was grateful for his sunglasses, which hid his surprise at the tears filling 5's eyes and running down her face, "Just promise me somethin'?" she said.  
  
"Anything, Numbuh 5," he replied.  
  
"You jus' think 'bout this," she inclined her head slightly towards the gun, "You think long 'n hard. Dun do nothin' stupid jus' cuz it sounds good at first. And dun let da' others change yo' mind or do somethin' stupid themselves. You promise me?"  
  
"I promise."  
  
Numbuh 5 pulled away from him, wiping the tears from her eyes and face, "Dat's good. Remember you promised me." She left the common area, leaving Numbuh 1 to face the gun alone.  
  
He could feel it calling to him, not literally, but the temptation was there. He couldn't in good conscience say that Numbuh 4 hadn't had a good point the other night, about using the weapon against their enemies. It could solve so many problems, but at what price? Numbuh 1 was torn between two things: Numbuh 4's point and the crystalline tears that had so recently fallen from Numbuh 5's eyes. Each one was like a knife to his heart; it was so rare and painful to see 5 come undone like that. Even more so than Numbuh 4. Both were strong, but Numbuh 1 could see so much more clearly that 4's was just an act. Numbuh 5 was a mystery to him, solitary and unwilling to take down a wall or two to let him in, really in. But he wouldn't push her, she was obviously struggling with something very difficult and he was sure she would come to him if she needed to. Until then, all he could do was put a comforting hand on her shoulder and tell her everything would be okay.  
  
But besides from the mental anguish it caused him, Numbuh 5's tears were living reasons why he should do away with the gun before it caused reparable damage to someone or something he cared about. He wasn't sure exactly what those reasons were, but he didn't really care. His own personal preference was in league with the tears, not Numbuh 4. But, as leader of this sector of the Kids Next Door, his opinion counted for very little. What mattered was the team, and what he felt was inconsequential to the decision that would be made. He could cast aside his feelings when need be, it was a portion of what made him an ideal leader. But maybe this wasn't the time to have his emotional self stand on the sidelines; maybe he was needed this time to make this decision. It was a possibility he admitted, in his tenure as leader he'd never had to decide anything like this before. Yes, it was possible. Now more confused than ever Numbuh 1 left the common area without touching the gun.  
  
:::  
  
Numbuh 4 had migrated from his room to the kitchen in the course of the afternoon, comic book in hand. Leaving the kitchen with a handful of candy and some cold, leftover pizza, he couldn't help but stop in the common area. Like 1, Numbuh 4 could feel the pull of the gun, and was much less able to resist it. He placed his book and food on the floor near the kitchen slowly, keeping his bang-hidden eyes on the table in the center, and slowly began to walk towards it. He ignored the tightness in his stomach, chest, and throat in favor of the wonder that widened his eyes as he drew closer to his goal. Almost there, just a few more steps-  
  
"Numbuh 4?" a light, Asian-accented voice stopped him in his tracks and he blinked many times. The wonder had abruptly dissipated somehow, though the tightness he knew was fear remained. Numbuh 3 stood just inside the common area, past one of the doors. She held the arm of a stuffed bear at her side.  
  
"Yeh?" he responded and turned toward her, away from the gun. He was suddenly embarrassed that she'd spotted him.  
  
"Whatcha' doing?" She took a few more steps closer to him.  
  
Questions like these should be easy ta' answer, Numbuh 4 grumbled silently, "Nuthin', Numbuh 3, Ah wasn't doin' nuthin'." He immediately regretted his harsh tone as 3 flinched at his words.  
  
"Why do you wanna," she paused, searching for words she didn't know that would've expressed her point perfectly, "use that thing so much?" Her eyes darted to the gun.  
  
Numbuh 4 glanced to his right and realized what she meant; he turned his head the other way in shame. How does she always know what's on my mind? he wondered, She acts the airhead all the time, but it's mostly just pretend. She knows 'xactly what's goin' on here, if not alluv' it. "Cuz it'll make things betta' for us," he said still talking to her like a younger child than she was, even though he knew that she knew better.  
  
"How?"  
  
A perfectly reasonable question, but Numbuh 4 again had to struggle for an answer and try not to be harsh, "Ee-um- well, it'll make all our enemies go away for good, ya' see?" He nodded and smiled at her, trying to make her see his point, despite the fact that he barely saw it himself.  
  
Numbuh 3 smiled back, but it wasn't a happy smile. It was a smile saddened by pity, and 4's smile all but fell off his face at the sight of it, "Will it be worth it, Numbuh 4?"  
  
"Ah- Ah think so- Ah hope so, Numbuh 3." 4 couldn't help feeling stripped under her eyes which saw all his thoughts and doubts, troubles and joys. If the gun emanated attraction before, now it was a repellant darkness in the corner of his eye he'd rather run from than to.  
  
"Wanna know what I think?"  
  
"Yeh, Ah guess. What?"  
  
She sighed slightly, "I think you should know if it'll be worth it, not just hope it'll be." She smiled again, happier this time, and took his hand. He allowed her to lead him out of the common area, feeling lighter with each step they took away from the gun.  
  
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A/N: Alright and thus ends Act 2! I hope you all took notes; cuz there'll be study questions! Just kidding. The whole fic should be up in its entirety this weekend as long as I hammer out the last act by Saturday morning. I really think this is turning out to be one of the best things I've ever wrote, I just hope you all like it. Once again, I don't know if Numbuh 5's uncle got shot, and I doubt you do either, so there. If anybody thinks I've done a disservice in juicing up my story, DON'T READ IT. Hey, how'd ya' like the little implied 1/5 and 3/4 I squeezed in there? Review please! K, bye! 


	3. Act 3

A/N: Alright, kiddies, we've reached Act 3 and the climax. Snow days are beautiful, beautiful things.... But anyway, I hope you've all enjoyed yourselves so far in my bizarre little KND imagining- and I expect that enjoyment to be reflected as my first fic to get over a hundred reviews! Hey, a girl can dream can't she? As long as I make it through this chapter, the whole fic should be up by Saturday night, you lucky dogs you. Enjoy Act 3!  
  
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"Yeah! Movie Time!" Numbuh 5 said happily as she and her teammates plopped in front of the large screen in the common area. She felt 100% better after knowing Numbuh 1 would keep his promise and make the right decision. She believed in 1, his leadership as well as his judgment, and also had no doubts as to what the right decision would be.  
  
"What'dja' get, Numbuh 2?" 3 squeaked in her seat, an enormous bowl of popcorn balanced precariously in her narrow lap, "What'dja' get?"  
  
"'I Was a Teenage Appetizer from the Planet Cuisine Part Four'!" he said in a menacing voice as he readied the DVD player before turning to the rest of his team and saying normally, "What else?" (A/N: Sounds like something Ed would enjoy, doesn't it?)  
  
The other four children groaned, "Numbuh 2," 5 said in a chastising tone, "we seen dat movie 'bout a BILLION times already! Why couldn't you've picked somethin' else?"  
  
"Cuz it's a classic!" 2 defended his movie as he settled into the couch, remote in hand, "Ya' can't go wrong with a classic." The other four murmured in reluctant agreement and quieted down as it started.  
  
Just as the opening credits began to roll a huge crash rocked the treehouse and the common area was ripped in half, throwing the Kids Next Door from the couch to what was left of the floor. Through the cloud of dust and debris came a rumbling and grinding of metal joints. Suddenly the cloud disappeared to reveal the zoo lady operating a huge robotic suit that had torn the treehouse its new entrance. It was so big it had to stoop to stand inside the common area.  
  
"Hello, BRATS Next Door," the zoo lady spat out acidly, "Hope I didn't disturb your movie!" She started manipulating the controls of the robotic suit, and its massive metal arms started grabbing for the five Kids.  
  
"Kid's Next Door: Evasive maneuvers!" Numbuh 1 cried out his order as he ducked one of the arms.  
  
"I'll get you Kid's Next Door this time," the zoo lady cackled maniacally, "You don't have any Delightful Children to save you now!"  
  
Numbuh 4 stood up indignantly, "'Ey! Those creepy freaks didn't save nuthin'! We saved THEIR worthless behinds!"  
  
"Numbuh 4," 1 shouted at his teammate, "GET DOWN!!"  
  
But the Aussie hadn't said his peace yet, "An' lemme guess 'ow you found our HQ, they pro'bly TOLD you, the tossers! I'm gonna- AHH!" He's impassioned threat was abruptly interrupted by a swift blow to his stomach by one of the metallic arms which sent him flying into the round of couches in the common area's center.  
  
A blazing purple light suddenly illuminated the area as it was shot from Numbuh 5's blaster and hit the suit. "Gotcha!" the dark girl shouted triumphantly as the robotic suit twitched and shut down, leaving the zoo lady helpless.  
  
"No!" the adult screeched as she fiddled with the suit's buttons and switches, attempting to get just a little bit more life out of her one weapon. It worked, "HA! It's ALIVE!" she cried as the suit's arms lifted jerkily off the ground, "Take THIS, Kids Next Door!" With its last energy, she made the arm sweep over the common area, scooping up four of the Kids Next Door and pinning them painfully against a wall. Last reserves depleted, the suit shut down, making escape all the less likely for the four completely trapped children.  
  
The zoo lady jumped out of the suit, her tail swinging from side to side in joy, "I think I'll make this place my center of operations for a new zoo." She turned on her captives and screeched in their faces, "How do you like THAT, Kids Next Door? That'll teach you brats some manners! You'll be my first exhibits!"  
  
Throughout her continued tirade, Numbuh 4 had been fighting off unconsciousness and the crippling pain in his stomach from beneath the table in the ring of couches. Because of the couches sunken-in structure he had escaped the arm's last sweep by rolling under the table, but now he was near to screaming in pain from the action and couldn't move a muscle for fear of making it worse. He slowly opened his squeezed-shut eyes and saw something lying before his face that immediately dimmed the pain. A plan formed in his groggy mind. Sure, it was dangerous and flimsy, and Numbuh 1 would probably go into an apoplectic seizure, but Numbuh 4 knew it was their only chance. He clenched his teeth against the pain and reached out, taking the gun into his shaking hands.  
  
"The perfect children's zoo!" the zoo lady was gushing to her captives, "It will be wonderful! No one will have to deal with you brats ever again! And if they're ever curious, they can come on down and view you from a safe distance. Children are meant to be SEEN, not HEARD! Ha ha ha! I always believed in that! I-"  
  
"Let my friends GO!!" Numbuh 4 shouted from just outside the ring of couches. His legs were shaking from the effort to keep himself on his feet and hold the heavy gun level with the zoo lady's head, despite her pointed lack of vertical inches.  
  
The nasty woman whipped away from the astonished captive Kids Next Door to the one blonde, trembling boy who was pointing a gun at her. Even behind her large sunglasses, Numbuh 4 could see her eyes widen, "Whoa, son, be careful with that thing!" she said with a shaky and much softer voice.  
  
"Shut up!" 4 cried, his voice cracking, "Ah'm not your son! Let my friends GO!!" He pulled back the hammer.  
  
The zoo lady jumped at the gun's telltale click, and she put her hands up slightly and backed away from her captives, "Son, can't we talk about this? Do you know what that thing can do?"  
  
"Yeh," 4 said with hard determination, "Ah know what it can do," his voice rose to a shout again, "An' don't think I won't use it ta' protect my friends!" He lunged forward a little.  
  
The zoo lady jumped again with a yelp at his sudden movement, "Okay, okay! You win," she started toward the hole she'd created, "See? I'm leaving, you don't have to shoot, I'm leaving!"  
  
Numbuh 4 didn't change his rigid position of pointing the gun at the adult's head until she was out of sight and he knew she had gone. Then he let himself drop to his knees as the gun clattered to the ground, tears of fear and relief falling from his eyes. During the stand-off, the captive Kids Next Door had been pushing with their combined strength to free themselves. With one last effort they wriggled out from behind the arm and ran to their savior.  
  
Numbuh 3 immediately wrapped her arms around 4 and hugged him tightly. The Aussie let his head rest on her shoulder as she rocked gently and more tears fell. His other friends stood or crouched close to him, patting his shoulder and congratulating him.  
  
"Whoo, Numbuh 4," Numbuh 5 said, "You saved all our lives! Numbuh 5 thinks that lady ain't comin' 'round HERE no mo'!"  
  
"I agree, Numbuh 5," 1 said, "Good work, Numbuh 4." He patted his friend's shoulder warmly, "Very good work."  
  
"Yeah, Numbuh 4," Numbuh 2 said excitedly, "That was so awesome! You scared the livin' daylights outta her! Numbuh 5's right, she ain't comin' back, I think."  
  
4 stayed in Numbuh 3's embrace for a few more precious seconds before pulling away and wiping his eyes with his sweater, "Guys?" he said quietly.  
  
"Yes, Numbuh 4?" Numbuh 1 replied.  
  
"Let's get ridduh' that thing." He nodded toward the abandoned gun. All the children's eyes fell on the gun.  
  
"Yes, Numbuh 4," 1 said, "I think the decision has been made." He left the tightly packed group and gingerly picked up the weapon and released the hammer. Numbuh 5 smiled.  
  
:::  
  
"FIVE!" Numbuh 5 shouted happily.  
  
"FOUR!" Numbuh 4 echoed.  
  
"THREE!" Numbuh 3 said with a big smile.  
  
"TWO!" Numbuh 2 cried, and opened the door to his homemade forge.  
  
"One." Numbuh 1 said with a half smile, and threw the gun into the orange fire. The rag they'd wrapped around the gun burned away quickly, and, though it took a while longer, the gun melted into a useless lump of metal before the Kids Next Door's happy eyes.  
  
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A/N: You know, call me narcissistic, but sometimes I'm really impressed with myself. Damn, what a good fic! I hope you all liked it. I offer up this, probably the best thing I've ever written, to you, my most cherished readers, to either approve or reject. Oh yeah, I didn't remember the zoo lady's name, so I took not-so-creative license with that too, hope you don't mind. Ugh, it's gonna be agony waiting to upload this, but I'm glad it's all done now; otherwise I might've gotten bored with it. Anyway, if you liked this you might wanna check out my other fics, I've got 'em on both ff.net and fpress.net, though only this one is a KND fic. K, I think that's it, bye! 


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